Anguk Station perfume class: video-guided 50ml blend at Muhwawon

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop is a Seoul perfume workshop in Bukchon and Jongno where you can sample a variety of scents in person and create your own perfume — a unique indoor date spot in Jongno for a perfume-making experience.

If you're looking for a different kind of Bukchon date course besides cafés or hanoks, how about trying a perfume-making experience? I found a place where you can sample various scents, pick the ones you like, adjust the ratios, and create your own perfume — Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop. It's worth introducing to anyone looking for a Bukchon date or an indoor date in Jongno. I visited last Friday afternoon with friends after booking ahead. Here's my review of Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop!

Where is Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop, and is there parking?

Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop is on the 3rd floor of a building at 23 Yulgok-ro 6-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and for parking you can use the paid lot right across from the building. The rate is ₩1,200 for the first 10 minutes, ₩1,200 per additional 10 minutes, with a max of ₩25,000.

• 🅿️ Paid parking lot (directly across from the Muhwawon building)
• First 10 minutes: ₩1,200
• Additional charge: ₩1,200 per 10 minutes
• Maximum: ₩25,000

Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and you'll immediately see the entrance to Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop, stylish right down to the door handle.

The interior has a modern feel,

and there were quite a few seats set up, enough to accommodate a large group.

Once you sit down at a seat you like, a perfumer comes over to guide you through the process.

How the 49,000 won premium 50ml perfume program works

The program I tried this time was Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop's premium perfume 50ml making, priced at ₩49,000.

You sample various scents yourself, choose the ones you like, then adjust the ratios of the chosen scents to create your own fragrance. Even first-timers can follow along by watching a video showing the making process, and the perfumer helps with anything you're unsure about or need assistance with along the way. So it's less about simply picking a perfume and more focused on the process of choosing and combining scents to complete one yourself!

Testing the scent materials and choosing your favorites

Muhwawon's perfume-making starts with smelling several scents yourself.

First, you pick a mood you like.

You smell the fragrances in order, checking off the ones you like.

Even scents you thought you liked can feel different once you actually smell them, so I compared several and picked out the ones I liked. Visiting with friends was fun too, since we each liked different scents and got to talk about our own preferences. Once you've chosen your desired scents, the next step is adjusting the ratios.

Mixing the scents at the ratio you want

Instead of using the chosen scents as they are, you blend them by adjusting the ratios to your liking.

You keep testing and adjusting the ratio until you get the scent you want — I ended up choosing the version I made in the second round.

Which scents you choose matters, but the ratio in which you combine each one can completely change the final feel. When I described the mood I wanted, the perfumer came over and adjusted the ratios — adding a bit of this, reducing that, increasing another — helping me get closer to the scent I had in mind.

Even with friends using the same program, since everyone picks different scents and ratios, the results turn out completely different. Comparing our different finished perfumes was a fun and fresh part of the experience!

Blending by hand while the video guides each step

At Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop, you learn the blending process by watching a video first, then do it yourself. Once you've picked your favorite scents in the earlier step, you bring over the fragrance concentrates for blending.

You set them down at your seat like this, then watch a video showing how to blend.

Here's the back of my head, deep in concentration.

You don't need to know the whole process from the start — you can just follow along step by step with the video, so it wasn't hard even as a first-timer. The perfumer also helps out midway through, so I could check on anything I wasn't sure about while making it.

Naming and labeling the bottle — Velvet Canopy

Once the perfume-making is done, you name the fragrance you created.

I named mine 'Velvet Canopy.' Thinking of a name that suited the scent I made and finishing the labeling made it feel a little more like my own product. I think it's going to become a scent I get attached to, haha.

Gift packaging and the miniature diffuser

At the end, they package your finished perfume.

It doesn't just end with sticking a label on the perfume bottle — the packaging is finished off neatly and luxuriously too, so it was nice to take the finished perfume home as-is. Having your own perfume with a name, label, and finished packaging left something tangible after the experience, which I really liked. Also, if you participate in the Naver review event, they collect the scents you tested and make you a miniature diffuser!

Isn't this cute? It's great for your car, so make sure to grab the miniature sample too!

Why Muhwawon works as a Bukchon date or indoor Jongno activity

Bukchon has plenty of date courses centered around hanoks and alleyways, but if the weather isn't great or you're looking for an indoor experience, making perfume is one option. It works well whether you're visiting with friends or as a couple making perfumes for each other, as an indoor date course in Jongno. Adding a perfume-making experience before or after a meal or café visit in Bukchon can round out a slightly different kind of Bukchon date course.

Things to check before visiting Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop

Do you need a reservation?

It's recommended to check the desired program and availability before visiting.

Is it fine if it's your first time making perfume?

Yes. You learn the making process by watching a video and then make it yourself, and you can get help from the perfumer for anything you need along the way.

How much does the premium 50ml perfume program cost?

The premium perfume 50ml program I experienced cost ₩49,000.

Can you take the perfume home packaged?

Yes — after naming and labeling your perfume, they finish it off with packaging.

Is Muhwawon easy to reach by public transportation?

Yes, it's about a 5-minute walk from Anguk Station Exit 4, so public transportation is convenient.

Is parking available near the workshop?

Yes. You can use the paid parking lot right in front of Muhwawon.

Final verdict on Muhwawon Bukchon Perfume Workshop

Muhwawon Perfume Workshop was a hands-on space where you can sample scents yourself, choose the ones you like, and make your own perfume. Learning the process through video and getting help from a perfumer made it easy to finish a perfume even for first-timers. If you're looking for a hands-on experience instead of the usual cafés or tourist spots in Bukchon, adding this Seoul perfume workshop, Muhwawon, to your Bukchon date or indoor Jongno date plans is a solid option.

👍 Recommended for (Yes!)

• Anyone looking for a different kind of date course in Bukchon
• Anyone who wants to make their own perfume at a Seoul perfume workshop
• Anyone looking for a unique indoor date in Jongno

👎 Not recommended for (No!)

• Anyone who wants to just buy a finished perfume without the making process
• Anyone not interested in sampling and combining scents
• Anyone who wants a simple indoor activity that finishes quickly